CHAPTER XXI THE TRUTH "Good-morning, my lord. Rather early to disturb you, I am afraid." Cyril noticed that Griggs's manner had undergone a subtle change. Although perfectly respectful, he seemed to hold himself rigidly aloof. There was even a certain solemnity about his trivial greeting. Cyril felt that another blow was impending. Instantly and instinctively he braced himself to meet it. "Not at all. What can I do for you?" he replied in his usual quiet voice. The man hesitated a moment. "The fact is, my lord, I should like to ask you a few questions, but I warn you that your answers may be used against you." "I have nothing to fear. What is it you want to know?" "Have you missed a bag, my lord?" "That confounded bag! It has turned up at last," thought Cyril. What on earth should he say? How much did the fellow guess? "You had better ask my man. He knows more about my things than I do," he managed to answer, as he lifted a perfectly expressionless face to Griggs's inspection. "Quite so, my lord. But I fancy that as far as this particular bag is concerned, that is not the case." "Why not?" "Because I do not see what reason he could have had for hiding one of his master's bags up the chimney." "So the bag was found up the chimney? Will you tell me what motive I am supposed to have had for wishing to conceal it? Is there anything remarkable about it? Did it contain anything you thought I might want to get rid of?" The inspector eyed him narrowly. "It's no use, my lord. We know that Priscilla Prentice bought this bag a fortnight ago in Newhaven. Now, if you are able to explain how it came into your possession, I would strongly advise your doing so." Still Cyril did not flinch. "I have never to my knowledge laid eyes on the girl, and I cannot, therefore, believe that a bag of hers has been found here." "We can prove it," replied the inspector. "The maker's name is inside and the man who sold it to her is willing to swear that it is the identical bag. One of our men has made friends with your chamber-maid and she confessed that she had discovered it stuffed up the chimney in your bedroom. She is a stupid girl and thought you had thrown it away, so she took it. Only afterwards, it occurred to her that you had a purpose in placing the bag where she had found it and she was going to return it when my man prevented her from doing so." "Very remarkable! It all fits together like clock-work. I congratulate you, Inspector," said Cyril, trying to speak superciliously. "But you omitted to mention the most important link in the chain of evidence you have so cleverly forged against me," he continued. "How am I supposed to have got hold of this bag? I did not stop in Newhaven and you have had me so closely watched that you must know that since my arrival in England I have met no one who could have given it to me."